Thera 1.63: Pakkha
Tipitaka >> Sutta Pitaka >> Khuddaka Nikaya >> Theragatha >> Thera(63):Pakkha (The Cripple) Adapted from the Archaic Translation by Mrs. C.A.F. Rhys Davids. Commentary (Atthakatha) By Acariya Dhammapala Note: 'C' in Pali text is pronounced as 'ch' as in 'China'. ---- Chapter I. Single Verses =63. Pakkha (The Cripple)= Beborn in this Buddha-age among the Sākiyans, in the township of Devadaha, in the family of a Sākiyan (king)rāja, he was named Young1 Saŋmoda. But inasmuch as, when a boy, he suffered from rheumatism,2 and at times walked like a cripple, he grew to be called Pakkha (= cripple), and retained the name after his recovery. He was present when the Exalted One(Buddha) visited his family,3 won faith in him, entered the Monk’s order, and lived in the forest. Going one day to the village for alms, he sat down beneath a tree. Then a kite, seizing some flesh, flew up into the sky. Him many kites attacked, making him drop the meat. Another kite grabbed the fallen flesh, and was plundered by another. And the bhikkhu(monk) thought: 'Just like that meat are worldly desires, common to all, full of pain and woe.' And reflecting on this, and how they were impermanent and so on, he carried out his mission, sat down for his afternoon rest, and expanding insight won arahantship(enlightenment). Upon that making the base of his emotion his goad, he declared aññā''(supreme attainment)'' in this verse: ---- 63 Cutā patanti patitā giddhā ca punarāgatā|| Kataɱ kiccaɱ rataɱ rammaɱ sukhenanvāgataɱ sukhanti.|| || ---- 63 They fly at what is fallen, and as it lies, Swooping in greed they come again, again. ... But what it was meet to do, that have I done, And what is verily delectable, In that was my delight: thus happily Has happiness been sought after and won.4 ---- 1 Kumāra, which means simply 'youth,' is a distinctive title of a young noble, as māṇava is of a young brahmin(priest). We have no suitable word. Cf. the Greek kouros. 2 Vātarogo, lit., 'wind-illness.' On the synonym vātabādho, see Milinda, i. 191, and below, CLIII. 3 See Bud. Birth Stories, p. 121 ff. 4 I.e., says the Commentary: 'Bv the happiness of the attainment of fruition has Nibbana, which is beyond happiness (or is exceeding great happiness, accanta-sukhaṃ, been won, and by that happiness of insight, which has become a happy mode of procedure, has the bliss of Fruition, of Nibbāna, been reached.' The latter interpretation, as Dr. Neumann has pointed out - winning happiness by happiness - is, in the Majjhima Nikāya (i. 93 f.), contrasted with the Jain point of view: 'No, friend Gotama(Buddha), happiness is not to be got at by happiness, but by suffering' - the ascetic standpoint. Cf. CLXXI. ---- 1.7-363 Commentary on the stanza of =Pakkha Thera= The stanza starting with Cutāpatanti constitutes that of the venerable Thera Pakkha. What is the origin? He also, having done devoted deeds of service, performing acts of merit in this and that existence, became an ogre Commander-in-chief, ninety one aeons (kappa) ago from now, saw the Blessed One Vipassī, became pious-minded and made reverential offerings of divine clothes to Him. On account of that act of merit, he wandered about his rounds of repeated rebirhts among divine and human beings and was reborn in the royal Sākiyan family in the district (nigama) of Devadaha, among the Sākiyans, when this Buddha arose. His name was “Prince Sammoda.” Then at the time when he was young, due to wind desease his feet did not bear him about. For some period of time he wandered about as if he were a cripple (pīṭhasappī). On that account his designation became Pakkha. Later, even, when he became free from ailment people recongnised him but likewise. On having seen the miracle in the assembly of the relatives of the Blessed One, he aptly gained pious faith, became a monk, had his preliminary duties done, took hold of his mental exercise and dwelt in the forest. Then, one day, as he went to enter a village for alms-food, on his way, he sat himself down at the foot of a certain tree. At that particular juncture a certain vulture (kulala) went through the sky carrying a lump of flesh; many vulteres fell upon (the former vulture) and made that (lump of flest) fall down. Amother vulture seixed the fallen piece of flesh. A third vulture cut that flesh asunder and took it over. On having seen it, the Thera said to himself: “Just as this piece of flesh, so also, such a thing as sensual pleasures constitute common property (sādhāraṇā), are much miserable, and tremendously troublesome (upāyāsa).” Thus, he reflected over the disadvantage in sensual pleasures and benefit in renunciation, placed himself towards the development of spiritual insight (vipassanā), wandered about for alms-food, bearing in mind such contemplations as “anicca (impermanent)” and so on, finished eating his meal, sat himself down at the place of his day stay (divaṭhāna) developed spiritual insight (vipassanā) and attained Arahantship. Hence, has it been said in the Apadāna:– “The Blessed One named Vipassā, the eldest of the world, the bull among men at that time entered Bandhuma together with sixtyeight thousand. Having specially gone out of the city I went to the shrine of the island (dīpacetiya): I saw the stainess Buddha, the apt recipient of sacrificial offerings. Eightyfour thousand ogres in my presence respectfully attended on me similar to the crowd of thirty of Inda, the divine king. Having gone out of my mansion, I then lifted up the celestial clothe, and offered that self-same garment to the great sage paying my homage to Him dropping myself down on my head (sirasā). Well indeed is Buddha, dhamma and accomplishment (sampadā) of our Master. Owing to the power of Buddha there was earth-quake. After having seen that wonder also, strange and hair-bristling, my mind became piously pleased with such a sovereign of men (dvipadinda) as Buddha. Having made my mind piously pleased and offered cloth to the Master, that I along with my minister and my retinue approached (the Master) as my refuge also. It was ninety one aeons (kappa) ago from now, that I then did that deed. I do not remember any evil existence; this is the fruitful result of reverential offering to Buddha. Fifteen aeons (kappa) ago, from now, sixteen world-kings of great vigour there were, known as Suvāhana (good transport), endowed with seven gems. My depravity had been burnt. … Buddha’s instruction had been carried out. Having, however, attained arahtship, he uttered the stanza, starting with: “Cutā patanti” in order to make manifest his Arahantship (aññā) by way of the well anouncing of that which was but the basis (vatthu) of remorse (saṃvega) after having made a good of which, he developed spiritual insight (vipassanā) and achieved Arahantship (aññā). 63. There, cutā means fallen down (bhaṭṭha). Patanti means they fall after (anupatanti). Patitā means having fallen on the ground by way of passing away; or having fallen in the sky by way of falling automatically (sampatana). Giddhā means; have become greedy (gadhaṃ āpannā). Punarāgatā means: approached but again. The grammatical ca should be conbined everywhere. This is what has been said:– Here, vultures fall as well as fall after; the piece of flesh has fallen off also from the mouth of another; having fallen off, however, it has fallen also on the ground; being greedy, they have fallen to greed; even all the vultures have come again. Just as these vultures also, so the living creatures who had fallen off from good deeds have to be rolling all round in the rounds of repeated rebirths (saṃsāra); they fall down into purgatory and so on; those who have fallen down also, in this manner, and those who have stood in the prosperous existence, by way of being devoted to (anuyoga) the bliss of sensual pleasres there and by way of longing for existence in sensual spheres as well as in the worlds of Brahmā, both with form and formless (rūpārupa) they become greedy and have come again, because they had not thoroughly escaped from existence; owing to this and that action conducive towards further existence, they have but reached pain, so called this and that existence; these living creatures have become in this manner. Kataṃ kiccaṃ means: By me, however, what should be done (kiccā) in sixteen sorts (vidha) even, so classified (bheda) as understanding (pariññā), and so on; now, it ought to be one no longer (or, there does not exist now that which should be done). Rataṃrammaṃ means: nibbāna, which is clearly free (vinissaṭa) all that is being produced by a combination of causes (saṃkhata), which ought to be enjoyed by holy nobles (ariya), the enjoyable (rammaṃ), devoted to (rataṃ) and specially delighted in (abhirataṃ) by the holy nobles. Sukhenavāgataṃ means: on that account also, nibbāna is perpetual happiness pursued (anvāgata) and approached (upagata) by means of the bliss of frution jhāna (phalasamāpatti); it is fruition bliss (phalasukha) as well as happiness of nibbāna, pursued by the bliss of the right path (magga) either owing to happiness or having become the proper prectice (paṭipadā) of happiness. The Commentary on the stanza of the Thera Pakkha is complete. *********oOo********* ----